set , its first-ever film with an African-American lead, in New Orleans, and wisely chose as its scorer/songwriter. not only has a long lineage as a film composer, but his music has deep roots in the Big Easy, making him an ideal choice for the project. Both sides surface here, with the score leaning toward lush Hollywood romanticism, leaving the songs as the place for jazz, zydeco, and R&B to play. Naturally, cast members , , and take the majority of the leads - N'awlins favorite son does get to sing the fanfare -- but there's a strong dose of local flavor courtesy of and , helping this soundtrack to feel a little less Broadway, a little more authentically New Orleans, and a whole lot more fun. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine